Traffic rate finding machine



March 16, 1943. J. M. JOHNSON I TRAFFIC RATE FINDING MACHINE Filed Sept.:29, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet l lul ATTORNEY March 16, 1943.

J. M. JOHNSON TRAFFIC RATE FINDING MACHINE Filed Sept. 29, 1941 3Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY March 16, 1943. JOHNsQ N TRAFFIC RATE FINDINGMACHINE Filed Sept; 29,- 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY Patented Mar.16, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT QFFEQE TRAFFIC RATE FINDING MACHINE JosephM. Johnson, Birmingham, Ala. Application September 29, 1941, Serial No.412,821

3 Claims.

This invention relates to tramc rates and has for its main object toprovide a machine that will make it easy to find the desired rate. Atpresent it requires a lot of time and trouble as it is necessary toconsult one or more rate books or schedules in order to arrive at theproper rate covering the distance and commodity. The present inventionas a rate finding machine overcomes the antiquated method.

By referring to the drawings, part of this application, it will beobserved that Fig. 1 is a plan view of the machine; Fig. 2 is a frontelevation View; Fig. 3 is an end elevation in section on line 3-3 ofFig. 1; Fig. 4 is a part side view of the machine on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;Fig. 5 is a detail view of a rate card used in the machine; Fig. 6 is adetail view of a card carrying frame or holder; Fig. 7 is a side view ofa card carrying frame or holder; Fig. 8 is a detail view showingmechanism for putting a card and holder back in the machine cylinder;Fig. 9 is a detail view showing mechanism for placing a card and holderin sight to read; and Fig. 10 is a diagram showing the movement of crossarm 29 and vertical bars orconnections l6 and I1.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout thedrawings.

Again referring to the drawings it will be seen that the machinecomprises a case or frame having sides I, top 2, base 3, and front 42.Supported in the frame on a shaft 9 in bearing 36 at each end is a maincylinder 39 having divisions for rate cards, the first division 10having rate cards ranging from 0 to 99 cents; the second division Hhaving rate cards ranging from 100 to 199 cents; the third division l2having rate cards ranging from 200 to 299 cents; the fourth division l3having rate cards ranging from 300 to 399 cents; the fifth division l4having rate cards ranging from 400 to 499 cents. These cards? have therate figures on them as shown in Fig. 5. Each card is supported in aframe or holder 29 that 'is carried on a pivot bearing 34 in the form ofa circular ring-shaped shaft. The card frame has a short arm or dog 33that is set in a forked trigger 32 mounted on a bearing 35 fixed on ashaft IS.

The front of the machine has a dial 4 with holes indicated by 39 thatare uniformly spaced around the edge of its face into which holes a pin44 is carried in a pointer arm 5 like a clock hand which is mounted ondial 4. This dial is also provided with numerals spaced around its faceinside the circumference indicated by the holes 39 at the position shownby 43. Each hole registers with a numeral. This front dial is fixed butthe pointer arm 5 on it is attached to a shaft 6 that is carried in abearing 31 that is supported on the frame front 12. This shaft 6 has abevel gear 1 that coacts with a companion bevel gear 8 that is mountedon the cylinder carrying shaft 9. The cards are exposed through anopening 43 along the cylinder.

The operating keys are indicated by 23, 2d, 25, 2 6 and .21 for theexposing or ejecting the cards for reading, and key indicated by 28 isfor the return of the exposed card after reading. When any rate up to 99cents is wanted the dial indi cator arm 5 is set thus causing rotationof the cylinder 39 to place the particular card 3| beneath the opening49, and to place the arm 33 of the corresponding card holder 29 intoengagement with its respective forked trigger 32. After that the key 23is pushed which acts through its connections l6 and 2| that act on crossarm 23 that is connected to the shaft to rotate the shaft i 5 and thusoperate the trigger. When return key 28 is pushed it returns the card torest position by acting on the rocker arm 20 at its other end It. Thekey operation is shown in Fig. 10. One position being indicated by it,I1, 29, 22 and 23; the opposite position being indicated by Mia, Ila,20a, 22a, and 23a. In Fig. 8 the card frame is shown at rest positionindicated by 29, and by out position for reading indicated by 29a. Thereturn key operates in one of the guide slots 4| and is supported in itsproper place on two coil springs 38.

The front dial and arm indicator are synchronized with reference to dialnumbers and card frames so that the desired rate card will be placed inexposed position on pushing the key for the rate structure wanted. Forinstance a rate ranging from 1 to 99 cents would be covered by key 23and so on. The card frames are carried in each section of the maincylinder in the same manner as letter arms on a typewriter and arepicked out by the trigger mechanism that is synchronized with the numberand hole on the dial.

While I have shown the preferred embodiment of my invention I do notwish to limit myself to the precise and exact details of structure butreserve the right to make any and all modifications and changes so longas I remain within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

Having described my invention I claim:

1. A trafiic rate finding machine comprising; a main cylinder dividedinto a plurality of compartments, a circular shaft at one side of eachof the compartments, said cylinder mounted on a shaft supported in abearing ateach end, said bearings supported in a main case of themachine, a plurality of card frames and cards therein supported on eachcircular shaft, each of said cards having marked thereon a traffic ratestructure; a dial and indicating pointer mounted on the front of themachine frame, said dial having uniformly spaced around its face edge aplurality of holes and numerals, a pin in the pointer on the dialdisposed to be set in any one of said holes, a plurality of operatingkeys mounted on the front of said machine disposed to operate lever andtrigger means in the machine to expose any selected one of said ratecards to view depending upon the particular position of said pointer, areturning key mounted on the front of the machine disposed to operatelever and trigger means to return any exposed card to rest position;said dial indicator attached to a shaft having a bevel gear on itsopposite end, said bevel gear coacting with a similar gear mounted onthe main shaft of the cylinder; said dial, dial indicator, keys, andcard frames all synchronized and disposed to work in unison.

2. A trafiic rate finding machine comprising in combination; a maincylinder divided into a plurality of compartments, each of saidcompartments containing a plurality of V shaped frames pivotally mountedat one corner on a shaft, each of said frames having an extending armthat fits trigger means, said trigger means having connecting rodsleading to a key mounted on the front of the machine; each of saidframes containing a card having traific rate structure marked thereon,one compartment of said cylinder containing rate cards ranging from onecent to 99 cents, another of said compartments containing rate cardsranging from 100 to 199 cents, another of said compartments containingrate cards ranging from 200 to 299 cents, another of said compartmentscontaining rate cards ranging from 300 to 399 cents, another of saidcompartments containing rate cards ranging from 400 to 499 cents; saidcylinder mounted on a shaft supported in a bearing at each end, saidbearings supported in a main frame of the machine; a dial and indicatingpointer mounted on the front of the machine frame, said dial havinguniformly spaced around its face edge a plurality of holes and numerals,a movable pin in the pointer on the dial disposed to be set in any oneof said holes, a plurality of operating keys mounted on the front of themachine and disposed to operate lever and said ccnnecting rods andtrigger means in the machine to expose any selected one of said ratecards to view depending upon the particular position of said pointer, areturning key mounted on the front of the machine disposed to operatesaid lever, rod and trigger means to return any exposed card to restposition; said cylinder case having a slot along its top to permit theexposing and returning of said card frames; said dial and indicatingpointer synchronized with said plurality of card frames through a shafton which said pointer is attached, said shaft having a bevel gear on itsopposite end, said bevel gear coacting with a similar gear mounted onthe main cylinder shaft, substantially as described.

3. A traffic rate finding machine comprising a main case, a cylindersupported on a shaft in hearings in said case, said cylinder dividedinto a plurality of compartments, in each compartment a plurality ofcard holding V shaped frames mounted pivotally, a card in each of saidframes, inscribed on each card a traflic rate combination, each of saidframes disposed to be selected at will; a dial mounted on the front ofthe machine case, a pointer clock-like hand on said dial, said dialhaving a plurality of holes and numerals uniformly placed and spacedaround its outer face edge, said dial indicator disposed to be set toselect any of said rate card frames, the cards in said frames ranging inrates from 1 to 499 cents; on the front of the machine case a pluralityof keys, each of said keys when pushed downward disposed to expose toview the rate card of the corresponding compartment selected on saiddial, each of said keys controlling the said card frames in onecompartment; a return key mounted on the front of said machine casedisposed when pushed downward to return to rest position the card frameand card previously exposed to view by means of either exposing key; allsaid keys connected by rod and trigger means to said card frames; saidcards and frames being designated as to position in the cylinder by saidholes and numerals on the said dial; the pointer hand on the dial havinga movable pin for setting in any desired hole adjacent the numeralcorresponding to the card frame; said pointer hand disposed by shaft andgear means to revolve equally with said cylinder, substantially as described.

JOSEPH M. JOHNSON.

